WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Purdue University President Mitch Daniels is apologizing for recent remarks in which he described an African-American scholar as “one of the rarest creatures in America.”

Daniels sent a letter Wednesday to black groups and others in which he said, “Ï retract and apologize for a figure of speech I used in a recent impromptu dialogue with students.”

The Journal & Courier reports Daniels made the comment Nov. 20 after a meeting with Purdue Student Government leaders when students asked Daniels about what Purdue was doing to promote diversity on campus and to make underrepresented minority students feel welcome.